IF one adjective aptly describes an Eason Chan Yik Shun concert, it would have to be “power-packed showmanship”.
The 48-year-old Hong Kong Cantopop star showed just that in his three-hour, non-stop Fear And Dreams World Tour 2023, which mesmerised some 10,000 Malaysian fans over three nights at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, on May 12.
HARD-HITTING VISUALS
While Chan “toned down” his normally colourful, elaborate and out-of-this-world fashion statements, perhaps to respect Malaysian cultural sensitivities, he still went all out to give Malaysians a “rocking good time” with memorable, hard-hitting visuals for almost all of his 30 songs.
Some of these visuals moved fans to tears, in particular those which accompanied his song When The Earth Has No Flowers. Here, Chan sang in front of scenes of burning forests, barren lands and a little girl kissing and caressing a giant whale that she found lying motionless on a beach. Then almost magically, the girl emerged on stage, kissed Chan’s hand and handed him a milk white flower, a sign of hope that there still are people who care for Mother Nature.
SOCIAL MESSAGES
Other visuals which tugged at the audiences’ heart-strings included those for Let Me Go, where multi-coloured balloons left the hands of children playing with them in a green field, and floated high in the clear blue sky past trains, buildings, houses and finally the sea.
Most of Chan’s songs carried strong social messages, particularly the need to overcome environmental destruction and bigotry, respect the rights of children and people with special needs, and make world leaders accountable for war and instability.
STANLEY KUBRICK FILM
In the 8.30pm concert, the singer-actor emerged on stage on a lift that rose from below it.
He was dressed in an astronaut’s outfit, and belted out 2001: A Space Odyssey, which famously included German composer Richard Strauss’ instrumental number Also Sprach Zarathustra, which was the theme song of the Stanley Kubrick film of the same name.
Chan’s opening song featured visuals of him waking up on a strange planet, where hundreds of creepy crawlies moved all over his body and even entered his ears, nose and mouth.
Accompanied by a dozen dancers dressed in similar space suits, Chan bounced around the stage nimbly as the visuals behind him gradually changed into real-life footage of the first moon landing and rocket launches by both the United States and the former Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War era.
DANCING PATIENT
Chan’s most “disturbing” performance was perhaps End, which saw him sing to a “dancing patient”, who got down from an operating table and gestured strangely to a group of hooded surgeons.
The stage’s lights turned red during this song, and the big screen constantly showed a red electrocardiogram record repeat cardiac cycles until it finally flatlined.
FIVE COSTUMES
Chan wore five outfits for the evening, and besides the space suit which “cruised” him through his first six songs, he also donned two stylish black and silver shirts, which seemed to be a “trademark” of many Hong Kong male singers over the years, a red track suit which symbolised his favourite colour (Hong Kong’s official colour), and best of all a long, Native American-style purple coat decorated with large, multi-coloured chakras.
SCHOOLBOYISH SMILE
Throughout the concert, Chan paused to wave to fans, flashing the cheeky, schoolboyish smile of his iconic character Tam Chang Shun from his 2007 hit film Brothers, produced by his idol Andy Lau.
Fans throughout the arena waved either luminous, coloured lights or their handphones in tandem with Chan’s songs, and whenever he paused, they screamed: “We love you Eason!”
STRONGEST FANS
“It’s so great to sing in Kuala Lumpur once again after five years. Malaysia is home to some of my strongest fans, and I always remind myself not to miss it,” said Chan, who has starred in 44 films and released 47 albums in his 27-year career.
Chan, who plays the piano, guitar, harmonica, and the accordion is also a songwriter, who has created most of his hit songs. Chan’s concert was organised by Star Planet. He last performed here in 2016, at Another Eason’s Life, which was held at the Arena Of Stars in Genting Highlands.
Source: New Straits Times
Published on: 20.05.2023